Impulse relay



April 10, 1951 w. w. BRocKwAY IMPULSE RELAY Filed Nov. 3, 1945 t @tglwww.

lN V EN TOR.

l/V/LHELM M eocfM/A Y.

Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE IMPULSE RELAY WilhelmW. Brockway, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 3, 1945, Serial N0. 626,513

(Cl. ZOO-105) 2 Claims.

The invention relates to electric apparatus and has particular referenceto an impulse relay mounted in a conventional outlet box provided withknock-out holes. Although the design of electric apparatus andparticularly switches and relayshas been conventionalized to a largeextent, there is an ever present need of simplifying structures of thiskind so that they can be made economically and can be installed with aminimum expenditure of man hours of a mechanics time.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a newand improved relay device which is sufficiently compact so that it canbe fitted to the knock-out hole of a standard conduit outlet box,provision being .made for a low' voltage connection outside and a highvoltage connection sealed Within the box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved impulserelay device wherein parts are held in place without the use of screwsso that it may be quickly assembled and disassembled.

sun another object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedimpulse relay device necessitating the use of but a single screw in theinitial assembly and having the parts so constructed that they arespring-located in assem-v bled relationship permitting ready disassemblyby contracting the spring to free one part from its engagement withanother.

A further object of the invention is to provide an impulse relayincorporating an armature which is so mounted that it moves bodilyagainst the resistance of springs, thereby reducing frictionalresistance to a substantial minimum.

A still further object of the invention is to incorporate a snap-actioncontact in an impulse relay which is adjustable to a Wide variety ofcontact combinations without necessitating any change in the operationof the armature.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of thedevice whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinaftermore fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and illustrated in theccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view of the device.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on theline 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device taken on the line 3--3of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of an adjustable composite shaftincorporating a ratchet wheel and Cam wheels.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of thedevice.

Figure 6 is a side View, partly in section, of a modified form of a coilcover.

Although considerable attention in the past has been directed to thesimplification of manually operated electric switches there has beenconsiderable resistance to changes in devices designed for automaticoperation. Much of this resistance has been due to the feeling thatunless automatic devices are of rugged construction they do notincorporate a sufficient safety factor to be installed in remote orinaccessible places where servicing may be difficult and infrequent. Toprovide an automatic switch which incorporates a sufficient safetyfactor and at the same time is of simple and inexpensive constructionrequires that careful attention be given to operating parts so that theyhave a freedom of operation while at the same time are so designed andare so assembled that they cannot readily get out of order. It is alsohighly desirable in apparatus of this kind to provide a simple assemblyprocess so that the parts fit more or less automatically into theirproper places with respect to each other and need be secured by only oneor two tightening devices such as screws so that the likelihood ofplacing undue strain upon delicate parts when assembling or mounting isreduced to a negligible quantity.

An important application of a device of the kind described herein is itsuse in a normal house lighting circuit. It is contemplated that theimpulse relay Will be located in the light fixture box and connected toa push button switch adapted to momentarily close the circuit, such forexample, as the push button switch disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 626,512 led November 3, 1945, now Patent No.2,546,086,v

March 20, 1951.

Used in this manner the impulse relay eliminates conduit and highvoltage wires between the light outlet and the switch. Inasmuch as onlya normal door bell transformer circuit is 3 needed to operate theimpulse relay carrying no more than 24 volts, ordinary door bell wiremay comprise the only connection between the push button switch and therelay. The 110 volt wires can be led directly to the relay terminalswithin a suitable outlet box.

It will be apparent, also, that complex two, three and four way lightswitching circuits involving multiple wire connections and conduit maybe replaced with equal facility by open run bell wire. In this set-uppush buttons may be in parallel at the respective control points in thehouse. Normal prohibitive multiple switch costs are minimized, and anynumber of light control points can be used with only the added cost ofextra switches.

Another important consideration is the facttion of the relay in aknockout hole` plugsthe knockout hole and satisfies necessary safety`refA quirements.

In,v an embodiment chosen to illustrate asimplied device incorporatingrequisite safety factors, there is shown an impulse type relay assemblyadapted to nt into outlet box |63 which has a conventional knockout holell ofv the usual size, as small as, in someV instances, V8. The relaydevice consists of two main operations, one constituting4 a mechanicaldevice mounted upon a frame I2 and the other constituting an electriccoil assembly I3.

The electric coil comprises a core I4,having a shaded pole I5y at oneend held in place with relation to the core and coil by a molded plasticdisk I3. At the other end of the coil is a similar molded plastic diskI7 in which is molded ater- `minal post I 8 having a lateral extension I9 and a terminal screw 20.

A mounting ringy 2l issecured in place around,

the shaded core from which it is insulated by a portion of the plasticdisk I6, The ring is pro vided with a flange 22 for mounting purposes.It willrbe noted that the diameter ofthe ilange is slightly smallerthanthe diameter of the knock,- out hole il so that the mounting ringmay be passed through thevhole. A coil cover 23 surrounds the coil andextendsvinto a position surrounding the smallend of Vthermounting ringand is held inyplace by, a screw 2li which extends into the core lli.When the coil and cover are mounted upon the box the cover, togetherwith the other metallic parts of the device, complete a magnetic circuitaround the coil. It should be borne in mind, however, that the cover ispreferably not applied tothe coil until after the parts of the deviceare assembled.

The remaining parts of the impulse relay construction are all supportedby the frame l2. Included among the partsis a mounting block 215i ofdielectric material which is attached to the upper side of the frame bymeans of an assembly screw 25. Also attached to the frame by means ofthe same screw is a spring keeper 26 and a spring 27. It will be notedthat the spring is provided with arcuately extending wings 28 and 29designed to contact the inside surface of the top wall of the box Il).

At the other end of the frame isa similar mounting block 3i) likewise ofdielectric material which may be held in place by a flathead screw 3|.Mounted uponv the block 30 is acontact arm 33 having an overhangingportion 34 pressed against the lower side of the block. The contact armis retained by an angle element 35 held in place by screws 36 and 37.The block is provided with a recess 38 for the contact arm so that itcannot slip from its proper place. A second recess 39 is also providedwithin which another contact arm may be placed whenever desired.

On the other block 24 there is mounted a coni tact arm 40 received in arecess 4I and retained therein by a screw 42. A similar recess 47 isprovided in the event a second set of contact arms may be used. Thecontact arm il has a point 43 adapted to engagea corresponding point 44on the other contact arm so that a suitable electric contact can be madewhenever the points are brought together. The screw 42 serves as abinding post for an electric lead A5, and the screw 37 provides abinding post a lead on the opposite side of the points. The contact arm33 has a central depressed portion a6, the purpose of which will be`described later.

Associated with the contact arm 33 is a composite shaft 50, shown indetail in Fig. 4, and

adapted to be supported' by brackets 5l and 52,

at the sides of theframe intermediate the mounting blocks. rihecomposite shaft comprises a shaft pin 53 having a head 54 at one end anda cotter pin aperture 55 at the other end in which may be inserted acotter pin 56. pin 53 extends through suitable holes in the brackets 5Iand 52.

vMounted upon the pin is a ratchet wheel 7-7 which has serrated lateralextensions 57 andv 58. At the sides of the ratchet wheel are cam wheels59 and 63 having flats 6I, three in number inithis example for the sakeof-r illustration, spaced-equid-istant about the circumference of. thewheel.

The number of teeth on the ratch wheel normally will have a directrelation to the number of flats onrthe cam wheels. A cut-out portion 48in the frame provides a space in which the cam Wheels may rotateunrestricted. Collars 62 and 63 are adapted to t between the respectivecam Wheels and adjacent brackets thus completing the composite shaft.The cam wheels are provided with serrated interiors 65 so that they mayybe adjusted upon the cam wheel with respect toeach other and withrespect to teeth on the ratchete wheel. The construction just describedconftemplates thesubstitution of a ratchetwheel or cam wheels or bothhaving a different number of teeth or ats toallow a variation in theoperating eifect.

A combination actuator and armature 66 is adapted to rotatethercomposite shaft by means of the ratchet wheel. The armature consistsof a relatively wide section 67 anda narrow actuat-Vv ing end.6r8.havinga tapered edge which is adapted to engage the teeth oft the ratchetwheel one by` one. At its other end the armature is provided` there is acertain amount of freedom of movement of the armature with respect tothe frame. In order to hold the armature in proper position there areprovided a pair of extensions 69,v located one onl each side of andspacedfrom thel thin finger 68.

The extensions are designed to fit loosely within holes 70. Theextensions are spaced a suflicient distance on `eachside of the fingerso that a spring 7| may be fitted around the. :finger between the ngerand the extensions, The spring presses at one end against the endof'theframe and at the TheV other end longitudinally against the armature atthe bottom of the spaces separating the finger from the extensions. Thethrust of the spring, therefore, tends to urge the armature endwise ina. downward direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and thus presses theend of the linger against the ratchet wheel.

A second coiled spring 12 is located at the opposite end of thearmature, retained in position by spring keepers 13 and 14, and tends torotate the armature in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2.

When the device is initially assembled all of the parts which are to beattached to the frame l2 are secured in place so that the frame and itsnumerous parts comprise one unit in the assembly and the parts of thecoil which include the core, shaded pole, mounting ring and plasticdiscs comprise another unit.

To install both units thus described in the outlet box I0 the mountingring is pushed through the knock-out hole I I until the flange of thering extends within the box. The frame is then applied to the box sothat a hole 15 in the base of the frame receives the mounting ring.While this is being done the spring 21 may be depressed by pressing theframe upwardly. The flange of the mounting ring is then extended insideof the bottom of the frame so that the bottom of the frame underlies theflange and is pressed downwardly against the main portion of themounting ring by force of the spring 21. This operation interlocks thecoil within the frame and the outlet box. When the assembly justdescribed has been completed the coil cover 23 may be applied to thecoil and secured in place by the screw 24 so that the rim of the coilcover presses snugly against the exterior of the adjacent .vall of theoutlet box. When this has been completed all of the parts are firmlyengaged one with another. Upon disassembly it is necessary only toelevate the frame 2 in order to disengage the upper rim of the hole 15from the flange of the mounting ring and the frame can then be drawnfrom the box. Disengagement of the units likewise frees the coilassembly and, where the outside diameter has been kept to a size smallerthan the knock-out hole, the coil can be removed through the box fromits position behind the knock-out hole.

In operation, an electric lead, of voltage as low as 24 volts such asthat from a door bell transformer, is connected to one coil terminal bythe screw 2D, the other coil terminal may be grounded through the coilcover and the metal cable of the electric lead. When the coil isenergized the armature 66 is drawn against the end of the shaded poleagainst the pressure of spring 14 and likewise against the pressure ofspring 1|. The armature thus moves in two directions, bothl lateral andin an endwise upward direction. The throw of the armature is suflicientto advance the ratchet wheel one notch. When advanced, the ratchet wheelwill be held in its new position by a detent 16. As soon as the coil isde-energized the springs 1| and 14 return the armature to the positionshown in Fig. 2. The corner of the mounting block 24 adjacent thearmature will block movement of the armature toward the left, as viewedin Fig. 2, and thus prevent the spring 14 from moving the armature toofar when the coil is de-energized.

As the ratchet wheel is rotated it rotates the composite shaft andlikewise the cam wheels 59 and 60. At initiation of operation one of theats 6| of the cam wheel 59 may be located be- 6 neath the depressedportion 46 of the Contact arm 33. In this position it may be presumedthat the contact points 33 and 34 are separated from each other. As thecam wheel rotates a high portion of the cam adjacent the flat will bepressed against the depressed portion of the contact arm and lift thearm so that the contact points are engaged, thus closing a circuitthrough the relay. Continued operation of the armature continues therotation of the composite shaft and periodically makes and breakscontact between the points. By adjusting the cam wheel 59 with respectto the position of the teeth on the ratchet wheel the points may beretained either separated or in contact for any given position of theratchet wheel.

Should an additional number of contacts be desired by operation of therelay, another pair of contact arms may be applied to the mountingblocks on the opposite side in the space provided, and the second set ofcontact arms could then be: operated by the cam wheel 60. This cam wheellikewise may be adjusted as desired with respect to the ratchet wheel orthe cam wheel 59. To change the adjustment of either cam wheel it is.necessary only to withdraw the cotter pin 66 and the pin 53 and thenseparate either one or both4 of the cam wheels from the ratchet wheel,rotat ing them a desired amount to provide the new adjustment and thenre-apply them to each other followed by again mounting them upon the pin53. The serrations will retain the cam wheels inv fixed position withrelation to the ratchet wheel. It will be obvious that a great varietyof combi-- nations of contacts may be incorporated, as for example, byselecting two cam wheels on one of' which a low side or flat is followedby two high side intervals preceding another flat while on the other camwheel a low side or flat is followed'V by one high Side intervalpreceding two low side. intervals or flats. With a combination such asthis. wherein the Contact points` close 110 volt lighting circuits ofsimilar magnitude, rotation of the composite shaft one interval willclose both circuits, rotation of the shaft a second interval will openone of the circuits but leave the second circuit closed following whichrotation of the compositel shaft still another interval will open bothcircuits.. In this way a battery of lights could be turned on full, thendiminished by one-half and finally turned out. It will be obvious thatthe cam wheels can be constructed with high sides and low sidesv in awide variety of combinations and sequence;v to secure any one of a widevariety of effects. Although the low Voltage coil connection may beexposed, high voltage lighting connections may safely be sealed withinthe outlet box.

In a modified form of the device illustrated in Figure 5 there isincorporated a moving core solenoid instead of the stationary coresolenoid illustrated in the embodiment first described. In the modifiedform an outlet box Hl provided with a knockout hole is designed to housea frame l2. Secured to the frame are insulated mounting blocks 8U and8|. A switch contact point 82 is shown on the block 80, and on the block8| is mounted a switch arm 83 bearing a contact point 84 adapted toclose upon the point 82. For shifting the contact arm between open andclosed positions there is provided a cam wheel 85 rotatably mounted uponthe frame by means similar to that described in the first form. The camwheel provides a lift for elevating the arm to a position wherein thecontact points are separated,

Non-rotatably secured to the cam wheel is a ratchet wheel 876 which isengaged by a one way detent 8l'. A lcwvoltage coilk88Lv secured within acoverl 89 has' an axial bore 9d' within which a moving core 9| isadapted to reciprocate.

Mounted on the outside end or" the moving core' isla bracket 92 and ahook 93'pivoted3 to@th'eb'racl:` et and adapted to engage the ratchetwheel. A coiled spring 95 anchored at one end to a prol' jection on thehook and at the other end tol a pin secured to the frame serves thecombined purpose of drawing the core outwardly' againl aft'er'it hasbeen retracted by a magnetic impulse and also holding the hookreleasably' in engageay ment with the ratchet wheel. Inf other respectsthe modiedV construction. has'- the same generalv characteristics as therst described: form which permits itto be readily removedfromthe outletb'oxi.

A second modified form of the devicesh'own in Figure' 6, incorporates amodiiied means! o'fat-y taching the assembly to an outlet box I. Theparticular means of attachment may be used, with suitablemodifications,- with the device illus'- trated in. either of Figures 1Lor 5.

In particular, the device comprises a coil unit H10' having permanentlyattached atr one endta framev unit 10|. These units areV substantiallythe same. with regard.- to their working parts'as"y the coil and frameportions of' the. previously describedl forms;

A special means of attachmentv is provided which consists lof a seriesof springv clips |022 spaced about the circumference of theV exterior ofthe coil unit and are adapted normally.4 to" spring outwardly. Thespring clips have end vportions H13 bentover ata slight' angle. Thevexterior of the coil unit contains' recesses IM adapted,I to receive theend portions when theyv are pressedv inwardly. It Should be noted,.also,that the diam`- eter of theexterior of the coil unit, includingthe`added thicknessof the clips`,.will be. slightly'less than the diameterof a knock-out. aperture |05; It will be appreciated, however, that theexte-r rior of the coilunit itself may be slit so as to provide thenecessary spring. clips.l

When the form shown-in Figure 6 is assembled, the coil unit is pushedthroughvthe knock-out aperture, and during this portion of. the assemblythe spring clips will be pressed inwardly against the outer surface ofthe coil unit. As soon as the assembledcoil and frame units reach theposition shown in Figure 6,1theclips will spring. outwardly to thepositions shown and firmly secure the parts in place. To remove thedevice fromthe. outlet. box it is necessary only to grasp the frameunitfirmly and pull with suflicient force lto force the bent over endportions of the clips inwardly suffrcient to permit the coil unit to bepulled back through the knock-out aperture into the outlet box..

In all forms of the device, ybecause ofthe fact? that all of the workingparts maybe removed. from the front of the box, the box in either case'can be plastered in theceiling.'or"wall"without in` any wayinterering'with the accessibilityof the interior ofthe box from the roomside'. Nor: mally alight Xture will be so locatedas to'cover the outsideofthe boxl on the roomsid'e';

VBy, the construction just described th'erehas been provided a compactimpulse relay mechani-sm wherein moving'parts-have-been heid* to alminimum andso designed that parts of the devicev performa multiplefunction, thereby making it' possible to reduceV the f number ofparts-without 8 reducing the number of functions. By constructing thedevice` in separate units the units: caribe applied toy a stationarystructure such as an out`J let box and a great deal ottime saved in bothinstalling and servicing. TheL device isE further so designed that it iscapable of a great numberl of contact combinations which can bev changedat will in the eld without it being necessary to' entirely disassemblethe relay apparatus;

Although the invention hasl been herein' shown anddescribedin what isconceived tobe the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isrecognized that departures may be made therefrom' within the` scope ofthe invention, which is not to b-elimited to the details disclosedherein but is to be accorded the full scope" of the claims sol as toembrace any and all equivalent structures.

Having described my invention, what I'Y clair as new and desireto'secure by Letters Ps'itent isz' 1. In an impulse relay, a mountingbracket of generallyv L-shape, including. a generally hat mounting plateand an integral arm projecting from one end' thereof transverse to theplane thereof, a solenoid mounted on said plate, said arm having a pairof spaced apertures, an armature of fiat plate form disposed generallyparallel to said plate and having at one end a pair ofj fingers looselyextending through said aperturesand terminating in hooked ends operativeto engage saidarm to limit endwise movement' of'said armature, saidarmature havinga thirdlinger disposed centrally between andspacedfrcmfsaid pair' of hooked lingers, a coil spring encircling said thirdfinger and engaged under compression between said armature and said arm,a rotatable step by step switch actuator having a ratchet wheel, mountedon said plate in a position for generally L-shape, including a generallyflat.

mounting-.plateand an integralarm projecting from one end thereoftransverse to the'plane thereof, afsolenoid mOuntedOn-said-pIate, withits axis substantially .at right angles tothe plate, said solenoidextending through the plate', with its pole endA disposed adjacent theinner side'ofv the plate,` the major portion ofthe solenoid piro'-Mjecting from' the out-er side ofi'the plate', a `Contactr mountingmember carried by theouter end of' said arm, a second- Contact mountingmember' securedto and projecting fromthe'otherA endtoff said plate,generally parallel to saidvv arm, an

electrical contactl and a sw'itch'arrn mounted on" said mounting membersrespectivelyand projecting toward each other in overlapping relation:and

in generally parallel and spaced relation to -said plate, an armaturepivoted atoneend to said 'armfy between said first mentioned'contact'mountingf member and said plate and extending across sa'id pole, arotatable step by step switch a'ctua'te'rfrv mounted on sa'id plate inoperative association'- with the other end of said armature; includingaA ratchetv wheel for actuation thereby when said solenoid is energizedand falcaml'l'fcr 'actuatings'aid switch arm, said armature and!cambeing d'isi` posed in the space between said switch arm, contact andplate.

YWILHIH'JM W. BROCKWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le o1'this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Stirn Feb. 27, 1894 NoeggerathJune 16, 1908 Carson Oct. 12, 1909 Hawkins Mar. 17, 1914 Zakrzewsk etal. Sept. 21, 1915 m Cariehoff Aug. 5, 1924 Miles et al. Mar. 22, 1927Anderson Nov. 4, 1930 Number Number

